CAF CL: Clinical Tusker brew Arta Solar 7 to storm into next round
Kenya Premier League champions Tusker FC claimed an emphatic 3-0 win over Arta Solar at the Nyayo National Stadium as the Kenyans advanced to the next round of the CAF Champions League with a 4-1 aggregate victory.
Tusker will face Egyptian side Zamalek SC in the next playoff round, where the winner will book a place in the much hyped group stages of the continent’s premier clubs competition.
New signing Shami Kibwana, Ibrahim Joshua and Deogratious Ojok were on target for the Kenyan champions who put on a solid display.
The visitors captained by former Cameroon and Arsenal star Alexander Song hardly got a chance on goal thanks to a near flawless defence marshalled by the fast rising Captain Eugene Asike.
However, the visitors would settle in quickly, with Alexandre Song setting the much-needed pace and tempo in midfield.
A reckless challenge on Ibrahim Joshua inside the box saw Tusker win an early penalty. Kibwana would dispatch the ball coolly beyond goalkeeper Luyima Sulait.
Solar almost produced an instant response and had the ball in the back of the net, but Diafra Sakho’s effort was pulled back for offside after the legendary Song changed tune in the midfield.
Kibwana would nick in a loose ball in the left flank to beat his man before teeing Muchiri, but the winger was unable to time his run.
The brewers held on to their advantage heading to the intervals and almost got a third through Muchiri minutes after the restart, but the winger could only send his first-time effort over the bar.
The visitors had a penalty appeal turned down after Sakho hit an effort into Charles Momanyi with the referee judging the defender’s arms were in their natural position when contact was made with the ball.
On the other side of the post, a dreadful error from Song was pounced on by the ever present Kibwana, who raced toward goal with only one man to beat.
With Joshua Mwakasaba to Kibwana’s right for support. The new signing chose to go all alone and proofed to be a bad idea as he razed wild his effort into the empty stands.
Tusker head coach would have enough with Kibwana, Matano substituting him off for John Njuguna while Mwakasaba paved way for Deogratious Ojok.
Ojok’s substitution proofed to be worthwhile for the brewers, as the Ugandan scored the third of the evening with his first touch after getting on the end of a well-orchestrated move by Tusker.
